


The Desert Rose

by vesaldi



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2020-07-11 16:54:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19931362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vesaldi/pseuds/vesaldi
Summary: Arenvald came to Ul'dah to find a new life, but all he's found so far is trouble. On the run from the Brass Blades, Arenvald comes face to face with his own imminent end. But just as he's about to give up hope, a surprise rescue team arrives.





	The Desert Rose

**Author's Note:**

> This story is an imagining of how Arenvald met Aulie and A'aba and came to join the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. It takes place prior to the events of Patch 2.0.

Ul'dah had been a mistake. Arenvald, it seemed, had thought the same thing as every other refugee from Ala Mhigo. And they were all _wrong_.

An arrow bounced off of the stone just above his head as Arenvald slide arse-first down a sand-covered rockface. Those Brass Blades just wouldn't give up! He honestly couldn't believe they'd followed him all the way to Little Ala Mhigo, but his incredulity would have to wait; it wouldn't protect him from the arrow that had narrowly missed his head.

_Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit!_ Arenvald somehow squeezed his massive body beneath a crumbling piece of what had once been a wall, hearing a thud as another arrow bounced off of the stone behind him. He could try to run south of the camp and take his chances with the open desert, but there was no guarantee he'd survive the exposure... or even make it there without becoming a pincushion. But without a weapon, he wouldn't have a chance if he tried to stand his ground. He was out of options.

Arenvald took a deep breath as he heard the sounds of the Brass Blades drawing nearer and nearer. He could feel the hair on his neck stand on end as their angry shouts drifted over the edge of the ruins. _Courteous of me to draw them away from Little Ala Mhigo to these ruins before they lop my godsdamned head off_.

Just as he had convinced himself to make a break for it, Arenvald heard another arrow fly by, but the direction of the sound was all wrong. It sounded like...? He yelped in surprise as a flash of color rushed past him toward the Blades. As he tried to will himself to become one with the stone, he heard the familiar sound of steel on steel and shouting.

A lot of shouting, in fact. Too much shouting...

"Ye can come out now, boy."

The voice didn't sound familiar – not that Arenvald thought he would actually be able to _recognize_ any of the Brass Blades' voices – but it didn't have the threatening edge of any of Ul'dah's hired thugs. Arenvald finally decided to risk peeking his head up over the broken wall to see just who it was that had saved his sorry excuse for a life.

The owner of the voice, a miqo'te man easily ten years his senior, rolled his eyes quite dramatically. "Well, don't ye cut a pitiful figure."

"Give him a break," the elezen woman next to him chided. "He's just been chased through the desert for malms and, as you said, he's _just a boy_." She turned her attention back to Arenvald. "Come on out, love. We're not here to hurt you."

He hesitated for a good long moment, but finally Arenvald worked up the courage to abandon his hiding place. As he stood, he could get a better look at the scene before him. No less than seven Brass Blades lay motionless in the sand. The two strangers may have saved his life, but he was wary nonetheless.

"My name is Aulie Meulchamps," the woman explained with a warm smile, beckoning him toward them. "This surly miqo'te next to me is A'aba Tia."

"What'd ye filch?" A'aba asked gruffly, earning a glower from his partner.

"I didn't steal anything!" Arenvald replied defensively. He winced at the look A'aba gave him. "I barely stole anything!"

"I like him," Aulie announced with a laugh and a wide, earnest smile.

"I don't understand why you helped me," Arenvald admitted, approaching the two cautiously. "Why would you risk the ire of the Brass Blades for a stranger?"

"Ye been askin' questions, boy," A'aba told him with a stony glare. "About wild roses, eh?"

Arenvald's eyes went wide. "How do you–?"

"What're ye really doin' here in Thanalan, boy?"

"My name is _Arenvald_ , not boy."

"What Aba _meant_ to ask," Aulie interjected, her face full of no small amount of annoyance with her partner, "is how you came to know of the wild rose in the first place."

"Well, I..." Arenvald trailed off, looking back and forth between the two. Clearly what he'd seen was more meaningful than he expected. "You'd never believe if I told you."

"See it in yer dreams, did ye?" A'aba suggested with a hint of a smirk.

"Wha–? How did–" Arenvald's stammering was cut off by Aulie's laughter.

"So, we were right," she finally managed, once her laughter had abated. "He has the gift."

"The gift?" Arenvald repeated with a frown. "What gift?"

"The Antecedent'll explain it to ye," A'aba told him. “If yer interested in knowin' more, that is."

"More...?"

A'aba did genuinely smile this time. "Boy's a bit dull, inne?"

"Don't be rude, Aba." Aulie turned to Arenvald, the warm smile returning to her face. "Your vision – your gift – brought you here to Thanalan. Aba and I are part of an organization of others just like you."

"You have strange visions, too?"

"Gods, no," A'aba replied with a laugh. "What Aulie's tryna say, boy-"

"Arenvald."

A'aba sighed. "What Aulie's tryna say, _Arenvald_ , is that if yer keen ta know more, and yer tired of filchin' stale bread jus' ta get by, we've got an offer for ye."

Arenvald crossed his arms and furrowed his brow. "And just what kind of offer is that?"

"Join us," Aulie replied. "Join the Scions of the Seventh Dawn."


End file.
